Clamp God

Knicks Cut Series to 3–2. Game 6 Heads Back to Indy The New York Knicks claw back with a huge Game 5 win. Can the Pacers close it out at home, or are we headed for a Game 7 thriller? The New York Knicks were in big trouble heading into Game 5, staring down the possibility of elimination. They now look to become just the 14th team in league history to come back from a 3–1 series deficit. Last night was a strong start to that comeback with a dominant performance at the Garden. The question now is: can Tyrese Haliburton, or rather, Benn Mathurin and company, hold them off in Indiana on Saturday night? You really can’t ask for better consistency from the Knicks’ stars in this series. Even if it hasn’t always led to wins, KAT and Jalen “Brunson Burner” Brunson (I’m taking credit for that nickname) have both put up at least 20 points in every game. What the Knicks need now is steady production from their role players in Game 6, and potentially Game 7. New York mig...

Indiana Pacers: A Team of Destiny Image used under fair use for commentary. All rights belong to the NBA. If it wasn’t already obvious that the basketball gods want the Pacers to win the NBA Finals, then the most improbable comeback in NBA history, sealed by Tyrese Haliburton’s magical buzzer-beater, should leave no doubt. Like I mentioned in this blog , the Pacers brought their signature magnet ball to Madison Square Garden and officially cemented themselves as the most captivating team in sports right now. Falling behind big and clawing back has become the Pacers’ calling card this postseason. It started back in Game 5 in Milwaukee (I was there). Down 118–111 with under 40 seconds left, the Pacers stormed back, Haliburton’s game-winning layup sent the Bucks home. If that’s Giannis’ last game in a Milwaukee uniform, that’s a hilarious way to go out. Then came Game 2 of the Semis. The Cavs led 119–112 with less than a minute left. The Pacers defense tightened up, thr...

Final Destination: Bloodlines Image used under fair use for review purposes only. All rights belong to Warner Bros. What better first movie to review than the fifth installment of the critically acclaimed Final Destination franchise!?! Final Destination: Bloodlines directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein was on brand for the series of horror flicks. Was it good? No… Was it entertaining? Ummm yeah, I guess so. As expected, the movie is packed with gruesome deaths, but this one leans more into comedy, giving it a lighthearted tone even with the body count. The film follows Stefani and her family as they try to figure out how to cheat death, which has been stalking them ever since an incident involving her grandma Iris back in 1968. In classic Final Destination style, death picks them off one by one while they scramble to stop the inevitable. I’m not going to think too deep into it, it’s clearly meant to be a fun, over-the-top movie. That said, even by Final De...

This is finally the Pacers' year. After years of coming up short in big moments and running into super teams late in the playoffs, this is the Pacers team that can get over the hump and win a world championship. While the Pacers don’t have the star power that past champs have had, they’ve got a group of dawgs that won’t back down from anyone. There’s no Shaq Lakers, Jordan Bulls, or LeBron Heat in these playoffs to stop their run. The closest thing would be the OKC Thunder, and they’ve underperformed so far. It’s now or never for the Pacers. They’ll likely never see another opportunity like this again, with a wide open field this late in the playoffs. And with the way they’ve been playing, I’m confident they can blow through the rest of the field en route to chip number one since 1973. The question is: can the “magnet ball,” “devil magic” Pacers run stay alive for a few more weeks? They have so many scorers and playmakers that they can afford an off night from “star” ...

Where Will Giannis Go? The Bucks are done, and Giannis looks ready to jump ship. Here’s my take on the most likely landing spots, plus a few dark horse spots that could shake up the league. Image by Erik Drost via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) With Giannis Antetokounmpo likely on his way out of Milwaukee after years of underachievement since their 2021 title run, the league’s most unstoppable force and arguably best player is suddenly on the table. Even if all he does is run and dunk, nobody’s ever done it better. Whoever lands him immediately becomes a contender. Milwaukee will want a plethora of picks and legit young talent in return. Here's who I think makes the most sense, and a few teams to keep an eye on. San Antonio Spurs The Spurs have the cap flexibility and draft assets to make this a reality. Giannis reportedly likes the idea of a no income tax state... advantage Spurs (and, spoiler, one other Texas squad). Giannis and Wemby on the same floo...

2025 NBA Draft Lottery Reactions Here’s my breakdown of how the NBA Lottery shook out, and how it proves once again that the league loves helping the rich get richer. 1. Dallas Mavericks (No. 1 Pick): Adam Silver Wins Big If having the lottery in a backroom with no cameras isn’t enough proof that this thing is rigged, the Mavs getting the No. 1 pick after trading away future Hall of Famer Luka Doncic is all you need. Adam Silver hands Cooper Flagg to Dallas on a silver platter. Maybe Nico Harrison knew what he was doing after all. What a joke. “Cooper Flagg to Dallas with 1.8% odds? Come on.” 2. San Antonio Spurs (No. 2 Pick): Another Big Jump The NBA’s new favorite child. Wemby wasn’t getting enough help at 6, so here comes another lottery jump. Dylan Harper or Ace Bailey makes sense… unless the Bucks end up with this pick and Giannis ends up in San Antonio this summer. 👀 3. Philadelphia 76ers (No. 3 Pick): Keep Their Pick from Conveying The Sixers have been a...

Photo by: Joshua Peacock on Unsplash Derek Shelton Out as Pirates Manager: What’s Next for Pittsburgh? On May 8, 2025, after years of abysmal baseball and mismanagement, the Pittsburgh Pirates have officially parted ways with Manager Derek Shelton . Bench coach Don Kelly will take over managerial duties as the team tries to dig itself out of an ugly 12–26 hole. "Was Shelton the problem in Pittsburgh?" This move was a long time coming, but will it actually spark change in the Steel City? In the short term... maybe . A managerial shake-up can light a fire under a struggling squad, and we might see a bounce-back series or two. But in the long run? Not a chance . The Real Issue Isn’t the Dugout Don’t get me wrong, Derek Shelton was a disaster. He had no business managing a big-league club. But firing the skipper doesn't fix what’s broken in this organization. "This club won't win a meaningful game until: 1) T...